


Why Do We Work So Well?

by Kitera_Matar



Category: Naruto
Genre: ANBU Aftercare, Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, Anbu are Psychotic, Bathtub Sex, Dubious Consent, Fanart, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Illustration, Iruka is not getting any work done tonight, Iruka's Hair Tie, Jonin are Crazy, Kakashi's Mask, M/M, Switch Hatake Kakashi, Switch Iruka Umino, for the mission, soap is not lube
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-13
Updated: 2020-12-13
Packaged: 2021-03-10 17:13:43
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 12,553
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28050714
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kitera_Matar/pseuds/Kitera_Matar
Summary: Why do we work so well?  Right time right place possibly.  Or maybe it was just Fate.  This is the tale of Kakashi and Iruka witnessing each other’s traumas and the relationship that slowly grows over the years, evolving and changing with the ebb and flow of time.  This is their path through life as they flit between enemy, to friend, to friendly fuck, to caregiver, to rival, to finally lovers. Slice-of-Life, all over the board.
Relationships: Hatake Kakashi & Umino Iruka, Hatake Kakashi/Umino Iruka
Comments: 5
Kudos: 28





	Why Do We Work So Well?

**Author's Note:**

> This is My Very Precious Baby. Welcome to my Very First KakaIru Fic! <3 Like welcome to a fic that is …. Ummm almost a year into the making and has been thru multiple betas and 18 million more edits by myself which has been an insane richocet of A MILLION WORDS, cut a thousand, add 500 more, delete 2k, add 400, add 5, delete 200, add 3k. 
> 
> It’s been a ride folks. But I love this fic more than ANYTHING I have ever written. It has like everything I ever wanted and needed and is as perfect as I can make it. So this has been 100% pure pleasure going over this and reliving it and re-editing it to be a better image and my writing getting better as I wrote and published other fics. So yeh. Even if this fic never goes beyond this chapter – this is my keystone and the one that I love and the rest is based around. It has all the tonalities and things I would like to hit if this expands.
> 
> (This is not my first posted fic but first fic written nonetheless) I hadn’t even finished part 1 of naruto before I gave in and started looking at the ships. (I still haven’t finished part 1 – 20 EPS LEFT - I WILL CONQUER YOU FILLER EPS!!! TT_TT) I hadn’t even thought of KakaIru, but as soon as I saw it, it felt SO RIGHT for those characters and became one of my OTPs. I started to read a lot of fics, and saw a LOT of the aspects of why I thought they were so good together - but I didn’t see ExAcTlY for what I was looking for – so this is my attempt to create the storyline in my head that shows why they work so well together. With a little bit of a kink twist – because come on – when you are ninjas who deal with war and weapons every day of your life – you’re probably a little kinky. And kink is fun. ^_^
> 
> A Note about BDSM: BDSM is and can be a wonderful thing. I speak from experience. However, due to the nature of it – it has just as much, if not more, potential to go awry and harm more than help than even normal sex does. Using bdsm to work through emotional issues can be cathartic, mind-blowing, helpful, and really fucking draining. But it can also go VASTLY awry and make things TEN TIMES WORSE if you are not SSC, using RACK, going into the situation knowing exactly what you are aiming for, trusting your play partner, and have a play partner who knows you almost better than you know yourself. 
> 
> In other words – if you don’t know what you’re doing – don’t try this at home kids. Get into it right, find help you can trust, go slow. Have fun. Be safe. Communication is KEY. Consent is sexy.
> 
> CHAPTER RATING: E
> 
> CHAPTER TAGS: Anal Sex, Dub-con, Switchy Kakairu, Top Kakashi, Bottom Iruka, Top Iruka, Bottom Kakashi, Switch Kakashi, Switch Iruka, Hurt/Comfort, Aftercare, Iruka is not getting work done tonight, Soap is not lube, For the Mission, For my Shinobi, Jonin are crazy, Anbu are psychotic, ANBU Aftercare, Iruka’s hair-tie, Kakashi’s mask, bathtime, bathtub sex

**_ _ **

**_ RECLEMATION _ **

Iruka grimaced and sighed as he set down his cold tea and looked over the school papers and scrolls that littered the low table in front of him in his living room. His head jerked up as he felt goose bumps rise on the back of his neck from a draft of cold night air flowing from his kitchen. He hadn’t left any windows open however… Iruka minutely twisted to stealthily pull a kunai out from under the couch cushion behind him – but before his legs could tense to rise he felt a sharp edge pressed below his Adam’s apple. Iruka’s body stilled instantly as his mind went into overdrive. He did still have the kunai pressed tightly in his grip… perhaps he could get the upper hand and-

His eyes flickered down to catch a glimpse of his opponent’s extremities. He could see a gloved arm with a metal guard strapped to it from wrist to elbow. Blood and dirt were splattered all over - and was that a bit of bone? His heart seemed to sink and speed up at the same time as the recognition of the uniform sunk into his mind. _Leaf ANBU uniform._ In his current position, any attack he made against an Anbu would only bring about his death. He pushed his eyes as far as he could in their sockets as he tried to catch a glimpse of the white porcelain mask - but he couldn’t see the mask’s design with the weapon still pinning his vulnerable neck in place. _Is it Kakashi? Is it a missing nin? Why would an Anbu care about a chunin sensei?_ Then a breath ghosted over Iruka’s ear and the voice that followed caused Iruka’s back to loosen while his shoulders began to stiffen.

“Iruka - drop it.” Iruka dropped the kunai. There was no mistaking that voice. It was Kakashi. Or rather it was The Hound. Iruka had found the ANBU uniform once when he had been taking care of Kakashi during one of the copy-nin’s many recovery periods. He had presumed that the infamous Copy-Nin had been in ANBU, and once Iruka had seen the distinctive flame tattoo while patching up Kakashi’s face and chest - his guess had been confirmed. However, once he held the porcelain mask in his hands, Iruka realized that Kakashi wasn’t just in ANBU – Kakashi was The Hound. It made sense that one of the most famous current shinobi was also the most deadly Anbu in the recent years.

But that voice. Iruka felt a shudder of fear roll up from the base of his spine as shivers ricocheted throughout his body and he could feel the hairs on his arms stand straight up. The voice was deeper and rougher than the liquid seduction voice that always had him melting. This voice was gravelly from disuse and chipped like flint to a sharp deadly focus. Kakashi’s hands, holding the sharp kunai at his neck, were unwavering while the body crouched on the couch behind him was solid, steady, and loaded like a spring ready to trip. The atmosphere in the room was almost electrified from the cold and tension spiking. 

Fueled by adrenalin, shinobi danced on the razor-thin edge of death, either theirs or others. At times it was hard for shinobi to leave that edge behind after having walked it for so long and they would come back with the haze of battle still upon them. It was known by a lot of names, but Iruka always called it the red-haze. It perfectly described the killing intent and battle focus that seemed to paint your world in shades of blood. Iruka had felt it himself to a lesser extent a number of times, but more often he had brought others back from that place – either through sex or just fighting to subdue those that were unable to lift the bloody veil.

But Anbu have to manage themselves on a completely different level from the lower rank missions he and most other ninjas went on. If jonin were considered crazy, Anbu were psychotic. Most jonin didn’t last more than 2 years in ANBU, burning out fast with the missions and behavior expected of them. Maintaining that level of control, loyalty, and darkness is not an easy task at the best of times – and it left its’ mark on all. Though they had superb fighting skills alongside a lethal level of control, they would fight and fuck like rabbits the moment that control was not needed - and everyone knew it. You had to release the tension some way or another, and when you were a master death dealer - blood, sweat, and cum were thick in your marrow. Never tears. At least not that anyone ever saw and admitted to – these _were_ ANBU you were dealing with after all. 

But Kakashi was here - not with his Anbu teammates relieving the post-mission haze. He was _here_ \- in a chunin teacher’s apartment in the middle of the night. Iruka’s mind flitted through the various possibilities of exactly how the next hour could go. He reached out with his chakra and couldn’t even sense Kakashi. Not a good sign. Kakashi was still deep in mission-mode then, automatically hiding his chakra and moving within stealthy control and exact speed. No surprising or talking him down then. Especially with a sharp weapon pressed to Iruka’s artery.

Iruka tried to turn his head slightly but the kunai pressing harder into his neck stopped him. He could feel a small dribble of blood coursing towards his collar bone. Ok, so no verbally deescalating the situation or emotionally reaching him and drawing him back then either. That left one obvious solution. At that thought, heat suddenly spiked within him chasing away the goose bumps and leaving him flushed and warm against the cool night breeze. He was surprised at how not opposed he was to his new plan. As a matter of fact, he was surprised by how much he _wanted_ it. Maybe not as rough as he was about to get it, nor would this be even close to how he imagined sex with Kakashi would go – but sex with an Anbu isn’t exactly something you turn down. And if it’s while they are still under the haze of battle - well that was shinobi life. For his village, for Kakashi – Iruka would do whatever was necessary.

Plus Kakashi had done this for Iruka once before. Iruka remembered how he had laid there, shivering and trying to escape the pain and cold by falling into unconsciousness - Kakashi stroking him to warmth and alertness, questioning him on his sex life, keeping Iruka angry and talking - keeping him alive, awake, and warm throughout those long nights. He thought about how when the warmer mornings had come and Iruka could finally fall into the blackness how Kakashi would bring Iruka to his long anticipated climax after edging him all night long. Iruka never forgot Kakashi’s eyes as they tenderly looked down at the chunin over his mask at the moments Iruka would come, the sharingan whirling in the lightening tent. 

Now, Iruka could do something similar for Kakashi. The fact that both of their first times together would be due to missions didn’t even give Iruka pause. There were other teammates they could have gone to - they had still chosen one another. Iruka liked to think that meant on some level they trusted the other. However, trust only went so far with a red-hazed Anbu. So Iruka very gingerly, and very obviously, moved his open hands slowly behind him. His fingertips found the tense muscles and he gently dragged his palms up and down over the thighs.

Iruka could feel a small tremble go through the body behind him and suddenly he was tossed face-down on the table sending papers flying everywhere. His forgotten tea mug clattered over and rolled to the edge of the table, the tea inside spilling and looking for all the world like old dried blood as it was absorbed into the papers. A gloved hand made his hair-tie go flying as the hand tangled in the brunet locks, gripping the roots of his hair hard while pressing Iruka’s cheek into the table. 

The hand left his hair and he heard a zipper being pulled. A second later he started to tremble as clawed gloves pulled his pants down to his knees and he felt the cold air hit his bare bottom. He began to force his muscles to relax as he felt the blood rush north to his face and flood south below his waist at the same moment. He needed to relax – _now_ \- otherwise this was about to get _really_ painful. He almost cried with relief when he felt something slick being poured down between his butt cheeks. The relief was short lived as the head of Kakashi’s slicked up member pressed against his hole. No stretching, but at least there was some sort of lube. 

Iruka tried to frantically relax and bear down to ease what was coming next. He flooded his mind with images of exactly who was behind him to remind himself of why he _did_ want this. He thought of Kakashi as a child in the forest training his ninken. Kakashi’s face as he gently but firmly brought Iruka to climax on that failed mission trip. Kakashi lounging in a tree reading his Icha Icha books. Kakashi leaping out from seemingly nowhere and helping Iruka as he fled the mist nin with Naruto on his back. How Kakashi’s predatory eye tracked his every movement when the jonin had spent the entire evening of poker night subtly teasing Iruka. That brief moment of cloth covered lips pressing against his cheek when Kakashi left. The feeling of waking up in Kakashi’s own bed with the jonin leaning against his shoulder. Of waking up in his own bed to see Kakashi lying out next to him with Iruka’s red scarf wrapped around his bandaged face. That time in the shower when Iruka had jerked himself off imagining Kakashi going down on him. 

Like a simmering ground fire hitting air, the heat billowed up within Iruka. He was suddenly a furnace against the cold night breeze still flowing in from the kitchen and he could feel his cock begin to harden. He _wants_ this, Kakashi _needs_ this, and it was _going_ to happen. Kakashi paused - his glans pressing against Iruka’s opening. Suddenly Kakashi’s dirty and gloved left hand came crashing down on the table in front of Iruka’s face as his body draped itself over the chunin. The clawed fingers of Kakashi’s left hand clenched and scratched at the table’s surface as Iruka’s loose hair was once again twisted vigorously in Kakashi’s right hand. The sensei vaguely found himself thinking that the homework sheets underneath those dirty and bloody claws may conveniently get lost. He could hear Kakashi breathing heavily, trying to wrestle control of his body back - trying to stop himself from going any further.

Iruka reached out slowly and gently squeezed Kakashi’s bloody wrist that was currently destroying the table in front of his face. His mouth was dry and Kakashi’s name came out garbled and moaning, the desire and acceptance in the tone unmistakable, “-’Kashi...”

It was as if a dam broke and the tension in the room was shattered with the force of an explosion into galvanic heat. Kakashi thrust into Iruka with one strong push. Iruka cried out, feeling abused muscles scream and tear. Kakashi’s next thrust had Iruka gasping at the mixture of pain and pleasure. The man wasn’t called a genius for no reason; he knew how to use his body. Iruka continued to hold onto Kakashi’s left wrist, his free right hand scrabbling at the wooden table top and crumpled papers as noises poured forth from between his lips.

Kakashi was pounding in and out of Iruka and Iruka could feel himself become fully hard as his gasps and cries turned into wanton moans and pleas. He was thrusting back at Kakashi and the scent of sex and the tang of iron filled the air as the space around the thrusting pair began to boil. Iruka could feel the rough material of Kakashi’s pants against his bare buttocks, hear the slap of skin on skin, feel the edge of Kakashi’s hard ANBU vest pressed against his lower back, smell the smoke and blood. Iruka was squirming and mewling and trying to pant out Kakashi’s name but couldn’t seem to get out his full name as his keening voice struggled for air. His mind skipped from the pain of his torn hole, cut neck, and wrenched follicles to the pleasure of his prostate and the drag of his sensitive cock between wood and skin.

Kakashi was silent other than his heavy breathing. Iruka’s hand let go of Kakashi’s wrist as the hands traded places. Kakashi’s left hand taking over at twisting into Iruka’s hair while his right hand dug into Iruka’s hip. Iruka could feel Kakashi’s clawed gloves dig into his skin. He was going to have bruises and cuts there tomorrow and Iruka couldn’t find it within himself to care at the moment. The fire from the five pinpricks of claws raced to join the firestorm that was coalescing inside him. The hand in his hair jerked and directed Iruka’s body, yanking his back into a bow so Kakashi could shove in even deeper. After a second however his face was pushed back into the table as the pounding went on. Iruka’s scalp was screaming, his hip was turning black and blue from the finger tips clawing at him, his anus was bleeding and his abused body shrieked. But he was also so turned on - the blazing fires from the wounds seem to roll into the heat of his lust and he was moaning and shouting Kakashi’s name unreservedly as his cock began to leak. 

He had yet to even see the man behind him or catch sight of the mask, but he was lost. His hips bucked back trying to keep up with the greedy thrusts of the Anbu and he felt like he was in a sauna with the amount of sweat flowing from his pores. His voice and throat were hoarse from all the noises pouring forth but he just couldn’t stop. He felt his weeping cock catching on the rough table surface before sliding on a paper.

Suddenly it was all too much and yet not enough and Iruka was coming, his voice rough and fingers clenching as stars and white lights burst behind his eyes. His nails dug into the wood and his hips jerked as white ropey strands decorated the table’s surface and his chest. Kakashi let go of Iruka’s hair and drove his clawed fingertips into both of the tan hips before giving three more rough pounds. Iruka could hear a small strangled moan hidden by two masks as the Hound followed him into ascension before collapsing back on top of Iruka. 

Iruka gasped at the weight pressing him into the table - papers, spilled tea and gashes in the table’s surface were everywhere - it was a mess that would take some time to sort out – later – _much_ later. Iruka could feel the vest armor pressing into his back as the cock inside him began to soften and he felt the liquids run out and down his thighs. Iruka could feel the porcelain facemask pressed into his upper back and heard the quiet labored breathing as small trembling shocks ran between their bodies. Iruka’s heartbeat slowed and the sweat on his skin began to prickle in the cold night air - even with the warm body covering him. His mind stuttered as it took a moment to realize what the familiar red fabric was that was draped over him and onto the table – it was Iruka’s old red scarf. The same scarf Iruka had used to cover up Kakashi’s face when his mask was destroyed and his cheek was burned. Iruka blinked as his mind tried to comprehend.

Iruka very slowly brought his hand up - his fingers crawling up the crimson cloth until his questing fingertips found Kakashi’s shoulder. Iruka ignored the tenseness of the muscles and slowly ran his fingers up the muscled shoulder and over the corded neck into Kakashi’s hair. It was gritty with dirt and clumps that were probably blood and bone. Iruka was suddenly glad he was face down on the table and couldn’t see the details behind him. He finally managed to find the tie that held the mask in place, and he paused a second at the stiffening in the body behind him, but when Kakashi didn’t do anything else - Iruka tugged at the knot. The gore covered mask clattered to the table beside them and Iruka stared into the blank eye sockets of the Hound’s mask, the red scarf flowing from under the splattered mask like a river of blood.

Iruka closed his eyes and relaxed his body further; trying to softly stretch and curl his back up and around to cradle the ninja above him as his fingers began to card through the dirty hair. His fingertips slowly massaged the scalp and knotted muscles of Kakashi’s neck. He ignored the dried bits that rained down on him as his fingers pressed and rubbed, loosening the clumps in Kakashi’s hair. He could now feel Kakashi’s cloth covered face between his shoulder blades and the frantic breathing and trembling had slowed to an _almost_ normal pace. Iruka could now sense the chakra behind him, although it was still whirling at a faster pace than he would like.

Kakashi’s hands loosened their death grip on Iruka’s hips and Iruka let out a low hiss as the clawed tips finally detached from his bruised and broken caramel skin. Kakashi’s left hand reached up and he lightly stroked the back of his dirty gloved fingers down Iruka’s cheek as their chests remained pressed closely together. The touch went straight to Iruka’s spent and over-sensitive cock. Iruka bite his lip to keep the moan from coming out and struggled to produce actual words. “..uun.. ‘kashi?” He asked hesitantly.

Kakashi let out a clipped hollow laugh that tore at Iruka’s heart. “So I’m Kashi now.” Iruka could feel his face flushing as he tried to tease apart the voice and recover from his embarrassment. The voice wasn’t the dangerously deep craggy voice of the Hound. Nor was it that silky rumble of the seductive jonin that had Iruka melting and hardening at the same time. Nor was it even the interchanging tones of light bantering and seriousness Kakashi-sensei would use. This voice was hollow and tired, the voice of one who had seen and done more than anyone else, and all from an age that most wouldn’t have even been able to comprehend the dark levels, much less travel them with that frequency. He had worked hard to distance himself from what had been done even as he focused and did his job perfectly; following orders, being a good and loyal soldier defending his village, processing it at all at an almost inhuman rate.

Kakashi straightened up and pulled out of Iruka with a plop that had Iruka releasing a small moan he couldn’t manage to hide in time. He couldn’t help but let loose a louder moan when Kakashi gently parted his sore butt cheeks and he felt a finger probe at his entrance. He didn’t need to see his rear end to know that blood and cum were trickling from his anus, he could feel them. “Ready to go again already?” Iruka tried to keep his tone lightly jovial but he couldn’t help the contrasting threads of desire and trepidation that were intertwined in his voice.

That’s when he felt the healing chakra and the abused and torn muscles began to repair themselves. “I’m so sorry Iruka.” The voice was still echoingly hollow and Iruka didn’t need his eyes to know the self-hatred that he was sure was written all over that pale face, hidden in plain sight behind a mask for no one to see.

Iruka felt the finger removed and while he was certainly still sore – it would take a while for his scalp, neck, and hips to recover - the burning pain from torn anal muscles was gone. When Iruka thought about how Kakashi had to learn how to heal torn anal muscles - it just filled Iruka with a greater desire to help the war-torn jonin. Iruka gently straightened up and gingerly sat back in Kakashi’s lap, leaning against the hard chest covering without turning his head to look behind him. His tawny hands reached out and tugged the stiff gore-covered armored arms around him. “It’s ok Kakashi. I’m glad you came to me and I could do this for you. I wanted this too.”

They sat like that for a while, Iruka’s pants still tangled around his knees, his legs twisted awkwardly between the table and the Anbu. Iruka’s moist dick was shrinking in the cooling air to a soft state in direct contrast to the hard armor pressing into his back. He could feel Kakashi’s breath through his cloth face mask as Kakashi pushed his nose into Iruka’s loose and tangled hair that had become a wild and messy mane. His hair was going to be a disaster later combing out all the knots, but Kakashi was sniffing it like it was a lifeline. Iruka didn’t say anything, just sat there silently, keeping his body relaxed as his thumbs lightly rubbed over the arms he was holding wrapped around himself.

“…thank you...” It was uttered against his scalp and barely audible but Iruka knew how much it took Kakashi to say it. He merely gave a small nod against the masked face and turned his head slightly into Kakashi’s face.

After a while Iruka’s legs started to cramp and after a particularly violent spasm ran through his leg at being held so long in an awkward position under him - Kakashi gave a chuckle that was beginning to sound a little less hollow but still pretty tired and sorrowful. He opened his armor plated arms and Iruka stood up, pulling his underwear and pants back up around his waist, ignoring the liquids that were dripping down his thighs. He didn’t bother to button the pants, just turned and held out his hand to Kakashi.

For the first time Iruka really looked at Kakashi. The Anbu ninja was sprawled on the floor in front of the couch looking like a panther ready to strike. Every muscle was held in that uniquely relaxed and yet coiled way. The armor and black clothes had blood and body bits splattered over it all and Iruka could still vaguely smell smoke and burned skin. The tattered red scarf was wrapped around his neck, and while the blood was hard to see against the crimson color, other bodily fragments could be seen. 

But it was his face that halted Iruka. His hiate-ate had fallen off onto the couch behind him and the bloody eye whorled, opened only a slit and looking wet with tear tracks leading down to his mask. The gray eye was still cloudy and drooping, but Iruka could see bits of silver starting to pepper through. The dark cloth mask that covered the lower half of his face was still firmly in place and relatively clean, having been protected from the majority of the slaughter by the porcelain mask. The normally alert and silvery hair was drooping beneath the dirt and gore turning it into a mass of old pewter. All together it made Kakashi this inscrutable and unknowable dangerous weapon sitting on his floor, the mismatched eyes tearing into Iruka’s soul and Iruka couldn’t stop the tingle that ran down his spine and to the tips of his proffered hand and curling toes.

Iruka stood with legs apart trying to keep the uncertainty from his body language. His hair was a tangled mess. He could feel the liquids running down his inner thighs. His clothing was askew and marks littered his body. In short – he was in total disarray and in no shape to help anyone. And while Iruka knew Kakashi didn’t need his help to stand up - the proffered palm was indicative of many kinds of help arising. Kakashi had stared at the outstretched hand for what felt like a lifetime between the seconds that ticked by and Iruka was just beginning to doubt himself when Kakashi’s hand snaked out to grip his and Iruka pulled him upright. They stood with gazes locked, two straight backed shinobi, not touching each other with more than their clasped hands even as their chakras seemed to play a game of touch and retreat in the inches between them. Iruka tried to put as much comfort, understanding, and love as he could into his eyes, face, and body posture. He had to look up slightly into Kakashi’s stern gaze but he didn’t back down from the hard eyes and kept his chin up and shoulders squared and loose.

His voice was soft and warm when he spoke, “Come on, let’s get you cleaned up.” Iruka gave a small half smile before turning and gently tugging Kakashi behind him. Kakashi followed him to the bathing room, the tattered edges of the red scarf sailing around the corner, the splattered Hound mask left staring sightlessly at the ceiling on top of the forgotten ungraded and crumpled school papers - the river of blood staunched from beneath it with the disappearance of the red scarf, dried brown stains on the papers all that remained.

Iruka led Kakashi into the main room between the toilet room and bathing room before turning away from the sink and mirror to face the silent Anbu. Iruka started by gently unwinding the scarf from around Kakashi’s neck. Iruka let his mirth show in a slight crinkling around his eyes and quirk to his mouth as his fingers ran over the crimson fabric. Iruka looked up in time to catch Kakashi’s eyes give a tiny spark of amusement in response. Iruka gently and slowly removed Kakashi’s weapons; the sword at his back, the pouches above and below his hips, the wrappings around his biceps and thigh. Iruka kept his movements slow and his hands in view as much as possible as he gave a gentle narration to his actions. He was not leaving anything to chance of something spooking the agitable jonin in front of him. Iruka then unbuckled the armored vest and arm guards. His hands started at Kakashi’s shoulders and gently stroked down his arms until they come to the top of his arm gloves and his fingers caught on the edges, pulling them off as well. 

At times his eyes would meet Kakashi’s and Iruka’s breath caught in his throat each time at the intensity in the mismatched eyes that seemed to burrow into his soul. His hands grabbed at the bottom of Kakashi’s shirt and Iruka was startled at the electrical jolt he got from his fingers touching Kakashi’s bare stomach. He thought he hid the reaction well, but Kakashi’s eyes crinkled in a small hidden smile as the shirt passed over his head, his face smooth implacability once again as soon as the shirt was free. Iruka then pulled down the pants, and kneeling, felt Kakashi lean on him as he tugged off the pants and underwear, trying hard to ignore the blood and cum covered member so close to his face. 

Iruka was amazed that for the only exposed skin Kakashi had was the shoulders and a small patch around one eye – how so much of Kakashi’s body was dirty, bloody, and wounded. Even the small trail of silver hair leading down below Kakashi’s navel had turned a pewter color from the dirt. But all the wounds seemed light and superficial so Iruka didn’t concern himself overly much with them. But Iruka hesitated at pulling the mask off - his eyes seeking Kakashi’s once more. He may have seen his face once before during the patch job he had done, but he also knew that the mask was a large part of what made Kakashi who he was and comfortable in the world. Iruka was also sure the mask was still filled with the scent of the carnage - and he wanted to take that all away from the copy-nin with the nose of a bloodhound. 

Iruka reached behind and grabbed a small towel, holding it up questioningly at Kakashi. Kakashi looked at Iruka’s worried brows and the proffered cloth. Iruka held still, trying to keep breathing normally as he waited for Kakashi’s response. Finally Kakashi’s brows gave a small furrow before he shook his head at the cloth. Iruka felt his eyes widen slghtly, but he placed the cloth behind him and turned back. Kakashi merely dipped his head once in acquiescence before raising his chin to make the process easier. His eyes closed in acknowledgment and Iruka slipped the tube shaped mask off the copy-nin.

Iruka didn’t linger on the stoic face with that tiny beauty mark below his lip, but steered the silent and now naked jonin with a touch to his shoulder into the adjacent bathing room. Iruka gently pushed Kakashi onto the stool in the initial shower partition before the bath. Iruka then quickly stepped back into the previous room and hastily stripped himself as well, tossing his now messy clothes out and on top of the macabre pile of ANBU uniform pieces. Iruka took a quick second to clean up the now visible and mostly dried blood and cum that had leaked down his thighs before going back to Kakashi. Moving back to the shower and standing behind the stoic jonin, Iruka pulled down the shower head and quickly ran a warm spray over the bloody, bruised, and cut body before him. He then put the shower head back on its hook and began to soap up a washcloth. 

Iruka was using his own sandalwood soap and in his mind the soap was a scent blanket he was wrapping around the weary Anbu. His nose may not be all that sensitive thanks to how it had healed from the scar across his face, but he knew Kakashi’s was. Iruka would give him a scent that did not make him think of battle or the thin line between life and death. He began to run the cloth over Kakashi’s back washing away the scent of blood, smoke, and death. His fingers carved lazy nonsensical patterns into Kakashi’s skin, trying to drag the man’s mind back to his body and away from the field somewhere that was drenched in blood, gore, and singed greenery while blank eyes from dead bodies stared sightlessly into the starry night sky – never to see again.

Iruka then knelt before Kakashi, lifting first his arms and then feet one by one, rubbing considerately with the cloth, scrubbing away the final bloody bubbling gasps and easing the strained tissues still on high alert. His fingers massaged into the skin and muscle, not overly long or hard, but just enough pressure to help release tension. The tender strokes reminded the skin of touches that were soft and loving times that were gentler. He lingered on the hands and feet - running the cloth in the webbings between the fingers and toes and worshiping the bumps of the ankles and wrists. Kakashi sat sedately on the stool and watched Iruka silently, his pale white face a mask of passivity to match the porcelain one that had been cast adrift. After he had soaped his extremities and trunk, Iruka turned to the two most guarded areas of the man, shifting on his heels between Kakashi’s legs.

Years of hot springs meant Iruka could walk naked around the jonin without any concern over his flaccid cock – but to clean the other man’s own private places… Iruka meticulously swabbed around Kakashi’s cock and balls ignoring the hammering in his heart at the cleaning of the dried bloody cum. When he had to rise from sitting on his heels to get to Kakashi’s face - that’s when Iruka began to waver. Iruka stilled with one hand on Kakashi’s chest and the other holding the cloth between them. But before he could begin to teeter too far, Iruka’s naturally unassailable compassion rose while his affection and admiration for the ninja in front of him came pouring out. The cloth moved in gentle strokes down Kakashi’s face, erasing the new tears from the sharingan that were mingling with the suds. 

Kakashi was staring into Iruka’s expressive eyes, the jonin’s battered body and soul aching for the unwavering tenderness that was pouring from the other shinobi. Like a dry plant straining to absorb all of the rain pattering down, Kakashi felt the first pangs of humanity revived once again from when he had set them aside to put on the mask of the Hound. While technically retired from ANBU, he was still called upon on occasion - and each time it was harder and harder to come back and piece himself together.

When Iruka had gone over every inch of skin, he then filled the bucket standing ready in the corner of the shower and began to pour the cleansing water over the dirty suds. Kakashi could feel the dispersing of the lingering scents that reminded him all too clearly of his recent mission. The blood and cum mixed with the dirty soap suds to run in rivulets down Kakashi’s body - slowly the ashen skin turned to glistening pearlescent, only marred by the freshly bleeding cuts and wounds. The electric atmosphere from earlier turned intimate and comforting - the only sound bouncing from the tiles being Iruka washing Kakashi’s body.

Iruka then poured shampoo into one of his hands, standing behind the silver haired jonin once again, he massaged the suds into the dirty strands. He was right, there was blood and other cadaverous bits clotted into the silver mane. Iruka distanced his emotions away from the analysis of what the pieces were as only a shinobi familiarized with battle could. Dwelling on it never helped or changed anything. Iruka was not deceived as to what Kakashi had done. Kakashi had defended their village today. He was a warrior, a ninja, an assassin. Kakashi had witnessed the day that Iruka had gone to the Third Hokage to apologize for his kindness being the reason the mission had failed and requesting the transfer to the Academy. Just as Iruka knew that he could never do what Kakashi did over and over, he did know that he could do _this_. He could help to draw the man’s mind back from the destruction and carnage. 

Iruka felt a hum of appreciation vibrating up his fingers as they cleaned and manipulated the scalp. Iruka smiled and spent a little extra time massaging the hair line and neck. The fine sterling hairs fascinated him and he didn’t mind admitting to himself that this task was a pleasure – not that anything thus far had been a chore... When he finished, he pulled the shower head from the wall once more to wash the hair until all the soap, blood, and bits were gone. Kakashi turned his face into the shower, and for a moment Iruka was transfixed at the sight of the sleek and perilous jonin arching into the spray of water. The normally spikey silver hair had turned into molten metal, clinging and flowing down Kakashi’s neck into the alabaster skin tarnished with the shallow wounds turning parts of the normally milky skin pink. 

Iruka gulped as he internally seized control of himself and gently directed Kakashi up and towards the bath tub on the other side of the shower partition. He guided Kakashi to sit down on the small step that ran the length of the bathtub. Iruka then rolled back the cover on the tub, glad now that he had poured new hot bath water when he had come home earlier today. Iruka dipped his hand in the water and was pleased to see the water was still rather warm. Iruka gave a light press of his dry hand into curve of the pale jonin’s back, and Kakashi rose up and stepped into the tub.

Iruka took a quick second to rinse the various remnants of gore and dried blood off his skin and run a hand through his loose hair to get out a few of the knots before he followed Kakashi. Kakashi leaned forward at Iruka’s approach and Iruka sank down into the water behind him – very grateful now that he had taken this place with the slightly larger tub. He hadn’t been sure about it when he had found it – the larger tub meant extra water - but it was as close as Iruka could get to a bathhouse at home so he had taken it. There were only so many occasions he could go to the onsen with the academy, mission desk, and shinobi schedule he kept. Iruka pulled Kakashi back and tucked himself around the copy-nin. His body curled forward and tucked the pale scarred chest close to his. He held the famous jonin for several long moments, letting his relaxed muscles help show the tense ones in front of him how to loosen up. After a while, Iruka’s fingers begin to rove over the skin, tracing muscles and scars.

The luminescent skin - especially paired with that seductive voice - really was undeniable for Iruka. Iruka traced the defined muscle lines, the ANBU flame tattoo, the large scar that ran diagonally across the chest, the curl of silvery hairs leading down from the navel. Iruka was careful to keep the touches light, perfunctory, kind, and calming - not sexual. His still sensitive cock rubbed against Kakashi’s back on occasion and he could feel it twitch as he bit his bottom lip to keep the moans unarticulated. But the spikes of pain coming from his ass, hips, neck, and head helped him to keep a lid on his actions. Still, he was grateful for the warm water soaking away some of the throbbing.

He continued to run his hands over Kakashi’s skin as Kakashi’s head settled back on Iruka’s shoulder and Iruka could see the mismatched eyes close. Iruka began to talk lightly about nothing important. How Genma and Anko had gotten into it at the mission desk the other day and almost burned up the whole desk of papers. How the bakery across the street had a new melon flavored sweet bread that Iruka really liked. How his student Yuki had tried to prank Iruka, but Iruka had seen it coming and moved the trap to Yuki’s desk. The expression on Yuki’s face as the colored powder balloon blew up. Some of the pranks Iruka had played in his youth. Gai’s and Lee’s latest crazy practice regimes that carried them all over the village. The other teachers’ eccentricities and the crazier things that happened in the sacred teacher’s lounge that Iruka had to deal with. He even went into the latest petty squabbles and bureaucracies that had taken over the shinobi at the mission desk.

When he thought he caught a twitch at the corner of the long thin mouth in response to one tale, Iruka gently pushed Kakashi upright and began to massage the pale back. His square and calloused hands begin to knead and push, smoothing over the muscles. He could feel the knots and tension hiding below the marred alabaster skin and he began to hum as he worked them out. None of the wounds were serious compared to the Anbu’s mental state and Iruka ignored any of the pink he saw, though he was careful around the wounds so as to not irritate them further. When he finally felt most of the tension drained away, he pulled Kakashi back to him and began to run his hands over the milky chest, massaging from behind.

Then Iruka’s hand brushed over Kakashi’s nipple and Iruka felt the gasp more than heard it. A quick glance down and he could see the cock between the opalescent legs begin to twitch. So Iruka switched it up. He continued to touch the skin, but this time he went for sexual rather than relaxing. He rubbed the nipples, he dragged fingers over the hip bones and around the curve of the scarred torso. He spoke of how he had fantasized about Kakashi the day after that poker night that Kakashi had teased him mercilessly through. How relieved he had been when Kakashi had come after him and Naruto against the takigakure kunoichi - Iruka could have kissed him. His memories from the mission trip where Kakashi had ‘warmed him up’. And Iruka watched as Kakashi began to harden and the thin lips parted slightly as his breathing hitched, his head remaining thrown back over Iruka’s shoulder and his eyes still closed.

Iruka leaned down and stroked his fingers over the stiffening member. Kakashi’s eyes squeezed tightly shut and a long low moan drawled from his mouth as Iruka watched fascinated, the small beauty mark on Kakashi’s face twitching when Iruka rubbed his thumb over the slit at the top of Kakashi cock.

Iruka firmly grasped the member and began to stroke. His fingers rubbed over the rapidly swelling skin and he tried several strokes before he found one that had Kakashi’s back arching and his breath coming in heavy pants against Iruka’s neck. This was the first time Iruka had touched the jonin’s prick – barring the cleaning a short while ago. Iruka was turned on and could feel his own hardness pressing between their bodies. But this wasn’t about him at the moment.

…or at least that’s what he thought. “…’ruka… please. Want you to take me.” Kakashi’s voice was a whisper and still tired - but the silky rumble was coming back and filling in the hollowness as his desperate eyes pleaded with the chunin. There was no way that Iruka could say no to anything Kakashi needed. Iruka moved his right hand away from fingering Kakashi’s nipples to run down and underneath the lean silvery body. His finger probed Kakashi’s ass and Kakashi let out a moan that went straight to Iruka’s cock. Iruka wriggled for better access and began to stroke Kakashi with one hand while fingering his hole with the other. After pushing the one finger in and out for a while he managed to get a second one in as well - and Iruka was so hard he was finding it difficult to focus. 

He stopped his ministrations and gently pushed Kakashi up and onto his knees in the bathtub. Placing the tapered pale hands against the tiled walls, Iruka then kissed the sharp planes of Kakashi’s back. A stray thought about not being able to save and reuse the bath water crossed his mind, but it was already ruined with the blood so Iruka shrugged the thought aside. Iruka reached for the bath oil on the shelf nearby. Not ideal lube, but it would do - and at least it wasn’t soap. He slicked up his fingers and reinserted two in Kakashi. He managed to get one more in before Kakashi stilled his hand. He didn’t speak audibly, but his eyes spoke volumes. Iruka felt himself drowning in that gray eye before he managed to tear himself away and focus. He rubbed the oil on his cock before he aligned his body with Kakashi and placed his head at the loosened entrance. Iruka then began to press into Kakashi, slowly – ever so slowly.

The low noise that came from Kakashi was something between a gasp and a growl and was felt more than heard. Iruka’s low moan however was much more perceptible. He slowly worked his way into Kakashi, his hands never stopping their trailing run over the shaking body the entire time. He fingered the round shoulder muscles with the ANBU tattoo, the lean tense back, the gorgeous dip and curl at the base of his spine, the jut of his hipbones, the scars that speckled his body and turned a clean white slate into a silent tale of strength, blood, and courage. His fingers danced around the still red wounds and lightly jerked at the upright cock.

Oh he was going to remember this sight forever. Kakashi leaning against the wall, his face hidden beneath his dripping silver hair, the muscles that had been loose not five minutes ago now coiling and bunching, the ANBU tattoo rippling on his shoulder as he clenched and unclenched his fingers against the tiles. The sight of the curve of his lower back and spinal ridges leading up to the angles of his shoulder blades made Iruka want to sweep his tongue over the skin. Iruka leaned forward and began to plant kisses, licks, and small nips over everything within reach. When he was fully seated he paused and touched his forehead down between Kakashi’s shoulder blades, his arms wrapped around and holding the pale torso as close as possible, reveling in the feel of their bare wet bodies pressed together in the most intimate of ways.

“Ruka.. _move_..” Kakashi’s pleading whine had Iruka smirking against the marred alabaster skin and he gently gave a small snap with his pelvis that had Kakashi moaning. Iruka grabbed the hips in front of him and begin to push and pull from the wet pearly body. Their breathing became quick and labored, the sound of skin slapping echoing around the bathing room. The moans and gasps and mewling noises from them both reverberated and duplicated, rising ever louder. 

They slipped on the water and smooth wet surfaces, sometimes to their advantage and sometimes not as Iruka would either fall in deeper or come out completely. But they didn’t draw on their chakra to resist the sliding and they both laughed in the tender atmosphere. Iruka’s hands ran sensually up from Kakashi’s hips to his chest, and then to clasp the front of his shoulders. With a gentle push, Iruka brought Kakashi away from the wall and was aligning their figures once more. Iruka’s hand ran up the smooth long neck while the other moved back down and over the hard aching cock as Kakashi gasped and panted at the ceiling. Iruka’s heart began to lighten as he heard the tired tone leave Kakashi’s voice. They were getting close and Iruka tugged hard at Kakashi’s warm and weeping cock as he brushed away the wet silver hair to breathe into the half hidden ear, “...’Kashi..!” came out as a hoarse whisper before he bit down on the pale earlobe. 

Kakashi came with a debauched moan that had Iruka groaning around his clamped teeth while pounding furiously to the finish. He could vaguely hear water sloshing over the edge of the tub - but they didn’t slip and Kakashi was still coming - and that was all Iruka cared about. Kakashi’s anal muscles were clamped down and Iruka found himself biting the damp scarred shoulder in front of him to muffle his shout as he came.

They managed to stay like that for a minute, Iruka’s tongue laving over the bite as his hands stroked the sharp hipbones before they both collapsed back into the water. Iruka curled his arms around his lapful of wet shivering jonin and pressed his forehead in close as he caught his breath. When Iruka could focus again, he helped to clean them both and gently pushed Kakashi upright and out of the tub. Iruka pulled the drain on the tub as he got out; next bath he poured would last for a few days. This one was heavenly and he didn’t regret a single bit of the spoiling of the new warm water.

Kakashi was much more responsive and active now with his quirked eyes and sensuous mouth, but his body was still unnaturally quiescent. Iruka took the towel and gently rubbed both their bodies dry before setting the towel down once more and facing Kakashi, completely at ease in their mutual nakedness. Iruka squeezed Kakashi’s hand, and ignoring the grisly bits clogging his floor drain, led Kakashi out of the bathing room and past the main sink, stepping over the pile of dirty gear and clothes on the floor as they headed down the hall to his bedroom. Iruka didn’t see Kakashi’s grateful expression as the rippling naked back of the dusky skinned chunin who padded before the submissive jonin. Open and mismatched eyes curled over the large scar that proclaimed the lengths Iruka would go to protect his precious people. Kakashi’s eyes then strayed to their interlaced fingers and the pale face let loose a brief and unnoticed tender expression.

Iruka peeled the blankets back and silently directed Kakashi under the covers before he climbed in from the other side. Kakashi lay there stiffly before Iruka reached over to confidently pull the hesitant and lean body fully against himself. The jonin gave a stuttering sigh as he buried his face into Iruka’s neck. Iruka felt like Kakashi was trying to immerse himself in in the chunin’s scent with the way that the sensitive nose was sniffing along his neck and the tapered fingers were weaving into his damp loose hair and clutching at his torso. Iruka reveled in the feeling of bare skin touching under the soft covers. His fingers curled into the dip at the base of Kakashi’s back and around his shoulder blades. He realized the kitchen window was still open as sounds of drunken laughter from people making their way home were carried in on the wind. But Iruka shrugged off the security breach – anyone who was fool enough to come into his place tonight while the twitchy Anbu was still there deserved their comeuppance.

Iruka was starting to nod off when he felt rough and calloused fingers gently ghosting over the forgotten scratch on his neck. Iruka was too worn out to even tense up, but he waited silently for a sign from the jonin. He didn’t expect the light kiss placed on the red wound. Iruka knew his eyes were wide and he was grateful for the dark night that hid his blush. The pull and release of flesh, fluids, and cum was something shinobi willingly gave each other frequently - helping one another past the dark of night into the light of another day. But kisses were rarer among shinobi - and not something that Kakashi and he had officially traded. This was only the second one that Kakashi had placed above his shoulders. He warmed at the remembrance of that first teasing cloth-covered kiss to his cheek that had been given to him in his own doorway. He gently tucked Kakashi’s face back into the side of his neck. “Sleep Kakashi.” he tenderly admonished. Then Iruka turned his face into the silver hair as he let go of the tumultuous day and eased into dreams of pale thin lips, beauty marks, and scars on alabaster skin.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~

In the morning Iruka awoke to his hip sending screaming pain through his body as a weight pressed down on his hurt hips. His eye twitched and he shifted a little to try and ease some of the pressure. He felt Kakashi begin to recoil and the chunin pulled the man closer to his chest, his arms locking around the limber body as he angled his hips to bury the bruised right side into the soft mattress and away from the pressure. Light filtered into the room from between the curtains and the air was chilled from the still open apartment window. But beneath the covers the space the naked pair occupied was warm and inviting – making it even more cocoon-like with the drastic change in temperature just outside their fabric barrier.

“I’m so sorry Iruka.” He could barely hear the muffled voice coming from his neck in the still morning air.

Iruka focused once more on the shinobi in his arms as he brought one hand up to comb through the thin and wispy silver mane his cheek was pressed against. “I already told you that you have nothing to apologize for.” His voice had a rumbling undercurrent of amusement as his fingers continued their soothing motions. “I understand Kakashi. I’m glad you came to me and I could help.” 

Kakashi’s voice was pitched so low that Iruka needed to focus to hear it. “I needed this.” Iruka didn’t ask what exactly was needed. He knew it was everything; the rough, the tender, and the ordinary - or Kakashi would have stayed with the rest of the ANBU to fight and fuck it out.

“Well you were there for me with mission sex once before,” Iruka chuckled and he could feel Kakashi smile against his neck.

“It was my pleasure to debase the poor chunin having a hard time – for the sake of the mission of course.” Kakashi spoke in that flirty tone that made Iruka’s cock twitch and stomach clench. Kakashi ran his fingers up the inside of Iruka’s thigh playfully before letting loose a low throaty laugh that had Iruka blushing and struggling to hold in his grin.

“Well you seem to be feeling better today.” Iruka quipped once Kakashi’s laugh tapered off.

“Yes…” The answer was simple but filled with a mixture of contemplative emotions. Kakashi’s head came up from Iruka’s neck and the look he gave the rapidly blushing sensei caused Iruka’s eyes to widen and his smile to still. Kakashi seemed to consume him with his crimson and iron eyes. His mouth was quirked in a smirk, but his eyebrows were gentle curves that spoke of the relaxation that flooded his body. “Thank you.” This time the thank you was firm and grateful, and seemed to seep directly through Iruka’s molten brown eyes into his soul.

Iruka cleared his throat as he felt the blush turn his face umber. “Yo-you’re welcome.” He coughed to clear his throat and brought his hand up in a vain attempt at distracting from the color in his cheeks.

At that Kakashi actually laughed and flopped onto his back next to Iruka, one arm over his eyes and the other feeling the texture of the covers over them, a smile still playing over his long thin lips. Iruka propped himself up on his elbow and contemplated the tenacious sinewy body. The covers had fallen to their hips and Iruka bit his lip thinking about what was still hidden. The cuts and wounds seemed to have stopped bleeding and while Iruka saw some bloody marks on his sheets, he wasn’t concerned – it wouldn’t be the first nor the last time he had to clean blood stains, there was a reason his sheets were a dark blue. The wounds seem to have recovered well for the little attention they had been given thus far, though some are were going be given more consideration soon if he had any say in the matter.

As his gaze traveled up the body next to him, Iruka found himself wondering something else as he thought over the events of the previous night. He debated asking it - but after everything that had just happened… how much worse could this one question be? “Why do you wear the mask Kakashi?” As soon as the question left his lips he realized his mistake. He, a chunin teacher, questioning the habits of the most dangerous shinobi in the leaf village on his biggest secret - did he have a death wish?!

“Kashi – uh – Kakashi-sama- I, I didn’t mean-” His stammered back peddling was cut off by Kakashi’s lazy wave of his hand.

“It’s fine Ruka.” Iruka distractedly wondered at the exact moment when they had become Ruka and Kashi. Kakashi’s arm fell onto his chest as he stared up at the ceiling. He looked like a sun-bleeched driftwood statue that had washed ashore with his pale silver hair and creamy skin standing out in stark contrast to Iruka’s ultramarine sheets. The sharingan had dulled to a carmine color and was whirling softly as the grey eye took on the tone of cloudy day. The small smile changed to a sad one and Iruka found himself regretting his question.

“You don’t have to answer Kakashi.” 

Kakashi turned and gave a lop-sided grin. “You’ve seen me without my mask several times now. Considering you are now one of a handful of people to have seen my face - and an even rarer group to have seen it more than once. And you’re not even a medical-nin - even though you have patched me up several times now. I think I can answer you this Ruka.” His voice was a low purr, a quiet old sadness hidden underneath the words, but his eyes were open and locked onto Iruka’s. His hand came up and he stroked down Iruka’s cheek with the back of his fingers. Iruka blushed again but held Kakashi’s soft gaze.

“I guess it started when I was a kid.” Kakashi put his arms behind his head and stared up at the ceiling. “My mother died when I was very young. I got this green scarf of hers with these shuriken all over it. It smelled of her and I loved to have it wrapped tight over my face where I could carry her around still. My sense of smell has always been sharp and even after her scent faded, the scarf helped to dull all the other strong smells around me.”

Iruka felt the somber mood descend and after a second reached a hand out to run his fingers lightly over Kakashi’s flame tattoo, his eyes fixated on Kakashi’s face. Kakashi gave a small sad smile as he looked at Iruka out of the corner of his eye and even without words, comfort and gratitude seemed to pass between them.

Iruka brought his hand back to himself after several long seconds and cleared his throat, “I assumed you got your blood hound nose from your ninken.” Iruka gently teased, trying to lighten the tension. Kakashi gave a small chuckle. 

“Oh I can be quite…” Kakashi’s expression turned wolfish as his eyes raked over Iruka’s still naked body, “dogged.” Kakashi licked his lips and Iruka felt his Adam’s apple jammed somewhere in his throat and the heat in his face seemed to never want to leave. Kakashi gave a quiet snicker before turning back to the ceiling. “Smell has always been one of my better senses. But then I heard some of the other kids saying how mysterious I looked with the scarf covering my face. And then the adults started changing how they interacted with me when my face was covered. I was treated like a small adult, not a miniature version of the White Fang.” Kakashi talked about his past casually - but Iruka was sure it had taken him a long time to be able to do such a thing. And Iruka wasn’t even sure how many times Kakashi had ever even told this story. 

Kakashi’s eyes were distant as he hesitated for a second before he continued. “I asked for a mask for my birthday. My dad got me my first one. It was easier to move in than the scarf and I was training all the time.” Kakashi seemed to fall into himself and Iruka waited patiently for Kakashi to decide if he would continue or stop. Iruka knew there was more. The emotions flickering over Kakashi’s bare face said so. Finally Kakashi continued, his voice cracking a little. “I wanted people to see me as a great shinobi in my own right, not just see me as the White Fang. Then my dad…” Kakashi broke off and after a second cleared his throat and continued. “Well I didn’t want anyone to associate me with the White Fang after that.” The pain was apparent in his eyes and intonation and Iruka struggled to keep his hands to himself. But he knew better than to break Kakashi’s concentration as he stared at the ceiling and relived his past. 

“When he was… gone - it was easier to hide under the mask than show my feelings. Soon, it was just a part of me. It helped me to learn to eat fast and prepare for missions. I learned speed and stealth while I practiced knowing and using my surroundings.” He shrugged, his eyes closing as his hands moved to lie on his chest in a lax pose Iruka knew must have been anything but. Iruka felt his heart ache at the story.

“Plus it also hides my nosebleeds from reading Icha Icha.” Kakashi open his eyes and leered at Iruka, Iruka’s shocked and indignant huff was the exact target Kakashi had been aiming for and the laugh that was unleashed was so bright and amused that Iruka couldn’t help but grin along even as a slight blush covered his face at the joyful one on Kakashi’s.

Kakashi felt the other shinobi scoot up beside him. And when the solid and warm chest was pressing against his arm and a hand began to comb through his hair, he instantly started to relax.

“Thank you.” Iruka doesn’t pass judgment or try to make him feel better. His voice is thick with gratitude for the gift he received and his fingers were lightly scratching against Kakashi’s scalp. Kakashi turned his face to Iruka, his eyes closed and his senses stretched out, imprinting this moment into his mind… The smell of sandalwood clinging to their skin from the shower. The smell of sweat and Iruka’s morning breath. The smooth cotton sheets under him and the warm sun falling on his skin. The noise of a village waking up coming from the still open kitchen window and the ticking of the clock. The rough and firm hands making his hair stand up even more. The heat coming from the broad chest next to him while the chill morning air pebbled his exposed skin.

“Do you have to go anywhere?” Kakashi asked. And Iruka could hear the note of desperation Kakashi tried to hide under his nonchalance as he gave an unconcerned glance.

Iruka laughed lightly to ease the tension. “I’ll call the school and tell them I’m going to be missing the morning classes.”

The smile that broke out over Kakashi’s lips made it worth missing class for. Iruka doesn’t do this often – but just for today it will be ok. Someone else can deal with Yuki’s pranks for a few hours. Iruka is startled by a grumble coming from Kakashi’s stomach. Iruka laughed and rolled over to get out of bed. Unabashedly he walked over to his dresser to pull on a pair of pants, his naked body rippling with the movements. He rummaged around some more before shooting an apprising look over his shoulder at the shinobi still lounging in his bed. “These should hopefully fit.” And he tossed some pants at Kakashi’s head as grinned over his shoulder while walking to the door. “Come on, let’s get those wounds cleaned up and I’ll make you breakfast.”

~.~.~.~.~.~

Iruka would never admit to it, but he was really glad he had called out of his morning classes. 

Once he returned to the bedroom, Iruka dragged a recalcitrant Kakashi into the main bathing room. Iruka then pushed the pile of stinking clothes to one side and cleared off the sink. Once he had pulled out his first aid kit, he started on disinfecting all of Kakashi’s wounds as well as bandaging the few that were still bleeding sluggishly - which was no mean feat. Kakashi was completely still throughout it all and Iruka was grudgingly impressed, as well as a bit concerned, at the lack of any twitches from the touch of the antiseptic on open wounds.

Before Iruka could put away the first-aid kit however, Kakashi had spun up and Iruka found himself now sitting on the stool. As soon as Iruka opened his mouth in protest however - Kakashi had two fingers pressed to Iruka’s lips. Iruka was helpless at the sight before his eyes. He stared up at the shining sterling silver shinobi in front of him. Kakashi’s expression showed amused adoration and his hair shone in the early morning light from the window as he smiled down on Iruka. His left eye was closed and his beauty mark gave a small leap as his lips twitched. Iruka felt his tongue move to try and speak, but instead it brushed against the underside of Kakashi’s fingers. At the sensation of skin on his taste buds Iruka’s eyes widened and he snapped his jaw shut. Kakashi was startled enough that his left eye flew open and Iruka’s burnished pupils met the stunned two-toned eyes for just a single moment in time. 

Kakashi gave a short chortle before pulling his hand away and beginning to pull out disinfectant to clean along Iruka’s neck and thighs. Iruka sat in stunned silence at the attention Kakashi was putting into his body’s distresses. Kakashi gently tilted Iruka’s chin up as he leaned down to inspect and clean out the shallow cut between Iruka’s Adam’s apple and clavicle. Then Kakashi knelt on the ground and gently pulled down the sides of Iruka’s pants as he inspected Iruka’s hips, rubbing antibiotic and ointment over the punctures and bruises.

When he finished, he stood so that the front of his thighs just brushed the tips of Iruka’s knees as the mismatched eyes once again looked down on the stunned chunin sensei. Iruka could do little more than drown in the poppy red and rock gray. “Does anywhere else hurt?” Kakashi’s voice was calm and even, but there was a small thread of trepidation and guilt that Iruka could hear within it. “Like back – ahem – there?” Iruka was even more flabbergasted as he saw a light pink tinge bloom in Kakashi’s cheeks.

Iruka looked up at the recoiling shinobi before him. He felt his lips spread into a smile and he opened up his arms and legs in invitation. Kakashi hesitated and scratched the back of his neck embarrassed for a second before he tentatively moved forward into Iruka’s embrace. Iruka buried his face into the hard wall of chest muscles as his hands latched around Kakashi’s torso. “Rub my head?” Iruka mumbled into Kakashi’s stomach, not really caring if the shinobi heard him or not.

But Kakashi did hear him, and Iruka felt hesitant but strong fingers slowly glide into the loose bun he had made of his hair when he gotten out the first aid kit. Gentle fingers unwound the hair tie and placed it on the counter behind him as the fingertips carefully felt their way along Iruka’s scalp. If Iruka had been a cat - he would have been purring. The sensations of slim and assured fingers on his head paired with the warm body held tightly pressed to him made him want to never move. And for a moment Iruka forgot it all. Konoha. The Kyuubi. The Academy. Naruto. The Mission Desk. Shinobi life. All that mattered was here in this bubble of space of and time.

But all good things must come to an end and when Iruka felt his toes start to go numb from the cold tile floor he reluctantly disengaged himself from the man in front of him. When he looked up Kakashi had his left eye closed once more, but a soft and contented smile played around the corners of his mouth. Iruka gave a soft rumbling chuckle before he stood up and gently stepped away with a lingering touch on Kakashi’s arm, his eyes studiously not looking back into the copy-nin’s face.

Iruka grabbed his own soiled clothes from the floor and dumped them into the laundry bin. Iruka gave a questioning glance over the gory pile of clothes and armor still on the floor, but before he had a chance to offer a spare uniform and a load of laundry, Kakashi was shaking his head in negation. Iruka shrugged and smiled, leaving the bathroom as Kakashi stayed behind to deal with his own macabre pile. 

Iruka started rummaging in the kitchen for their breakfast as Kakashi started to clean up his gear and the bits of gore in the bathing room. When Kakashi had laid all of his equipment out to dry over the clean bathroom he went into the kitchen. Iruka greeted him with a steaming cup of green tea and a bright smile. Kakashi was still only clad in Iruka’s pants, his hiate-ate had been removed and he kept his left eye firmly closed. Kakashi had also rinsed out the red scarf and for the second time, had it wrapped it around his face while he found himself winding down in Iruka’s apartment. They both settled into the soothing kitchen atmosphere, hands wrapped around still hot mugs of tea as Iruka bustled about finishing preparing the food. 

They talked of inconsequential things. Iruka had brought other shinobi back from the haze before – he knew the calm normality of life healed more than talking about death and the actions that had been executed perfectly to order - but still, certain missions left wounds on the soul that were not easily healed. Talking about it wouldn’t change anything - they had done their job to the best of their abilities – and they would again. But the struggle was coming back to their everyday lives. If Kakashi wanted to talk about anything – he would.

Instead, Iruka found out that Kakashi had learned to walk on the water first, and swim second. Iruka shared some of his more precocious pranks he had pulled as a kid, and even a few as an adult. (“Well, Genma and Raidho could be bastards sometimes!”) Kakashi expounded with how excited he was for the next Icha Icha movie to come out - and enjoyed the topless tawny chunin blushing and putting his foot down on that topic as his loose hair hid some of his blushing face. Iruka had done many things in his lifetime, but he was _not_ going to sit around and talk about lousy porn over breakfast! The scarf hid the smiles from sight, but Iruka felt the mirth that he provoked out of Kakashi.

Iruka found himself surprised at how comfortable he was in the prodigy shinobi’s presence - especially after last night… Kakashi had proven his abilities ten-fold on the field as a shinobi as well as a leader, but he had also now shown to Iruka how much he was still human and how missions like these broke him a little more every time. For Kakashi to choose to expose himself like this to Iruka – well Iruka supposed he would call them good friends. Maybe even close friends who could offer physical comfort to one another when needed - considering their sexual experiences were now reaching three, two of them from last night. Kakashi could flirt with a stone wall. Hell, he probably already had! It made it easier for Iruka to shrug off the teasing and sexual barbs and keep control of the situation as only a teacher could. Plus they hadn’t _actually_ kissed. Also While Kakashi may be a flirt at times, Iruka thought the number of times Kakashi was truly intimate were pretty rare - if they existed at all.

But when they started to eat, Kakashi pushed the scarf down around his neck and ate at a regular pace. Iruka curled up one eye brow before he shrugged and tucked into his own breakfast. He guessed after telling the story of why the non-stop mask use, just showing Iruka his pale face while eating was less intimate. After a moment, Iruka couldn’t resist the tease however, “Taking good care of that scarf I see.”

Kakashi picked at the tattered and frayed ends while giving a long suffering sigh and a woebegone expression. “I try to lead the ANBU in a new fashion trend and instead find my enemies trying to tear down my new dashing persona.” He poked a finger mournfully through a slash in the scarf and Iruka couldn’t help the laughter that burbled out of him. The ripple became a roar and soon Iruka was pounding on the table laughing, his breakfast bouncing dangerously. Kakashi merely smiled bigger as he leaned an elbow on the table, his head in his hand waiting for Iruka to breathe, delighting in the laughter rolling over him.

“You… hahahah.. ANBU fashion… hAAHHAHAHA… trendsetter!!” Iruka finally managed to pull himself together, his hands clutching at his aching stomach, tears running down his face. And Kakashi couldn’t keep the reciprocating smirk from his face.

~.~.~.~.~.~

When the time finally came for Iruka to get ready for school, Kakashi went to gather up his weapons and clothing. Kakashi set the pile of cleaner, but still not immaculate, ANBU gear down on the now clear kitchen table as Iruka tried to find all his necessary gear - the battered papers still scattered all over on his kotetsu, he would go through them tonight and see what he could salvage. He might just wind up giving everyone a pass on the assignment... Iruka was pulled from his musings at a light grip on his arm. He turned to see Kakashi standing there - still clad in only the red scarf and low-slung pants, a bit too wide and short for his narrow hips and long legs.

But Iruka was enthralled at the intense look he felt pinned beneath. Then Kakashi slowly and deliberately pulled down the scarf. Both of his eyes were open and the tomoes spun lazily as Kakashi leaned in. Iruka felt his heart speed up as their lips came close. The kiss was chaste considering all that had already passed between them - a simple press of lips, a small gasp of surprise and heat, and a swipe of Kakashi’s tongue on Iruka’s lip. It lasted for only a few mere moments and yet Iruka was left gasping like a fish out of water when Kakashi pulled away. Iruka was sure his face must have been torn between shock and desire. Kakashi’s was also divided, but between desire and tenderness. 

Kakashi didn’t speak after their first kiss - he just trailed a hand down Iruka’s cheek and gave a small gentle smile. As Iruka stared into the pale face and crinkling eyes, and curled lips that _no one ever_ saw, his mind all of the sudden darted to a phrase he had read long ago – about how the sharingan was the eye ‘that reflects the heart’. But before Iruka could pull his thoughts together, Kakashi had his pile of armor and clothing back in hand and with a small wave and smile, the red scarf still down around his neck, disappeared - teleporting back to his apartment.

Long after they had parted ways, laughter from a certain chunin continued to resound in Kakashi’s mind and a smile played at the edge of Iruka’s lips all day. Both of them remembered a soft kiss, tender touches, and rumbling laughter - and their steps seemed a little bit lighter that day. However, Kakashi did spend some time stitching the worse of the holes back together in his fashionable crimson scarf.

~.~.~.~.~.~

**Author's Note:**

> A/N on this Chapter: Fun Fact! I had a lot of fun purposefully using ANBU vs Anbu vs jonin vs shinobi vs chunin throughout the flow of this story to show general mood/personality changes. Dunno if that came across, but I had fun in the attempt!!
> 
> A/N on this story and potential Future Chapters: So this originally started as a look at why Kakashi and Iruka are so good for each other and how they could (and do?) help the other through life right? So anyways - slow burn, slice-of-life, fic …. with lots of smutty edgeplay and bdsm strewn throughout. However if I wait to post this whole thing until I have finished both the anime and this fic – this will never get posted with my current self-implied-standards-that-must-happen before I can post fics (to help preserve the small bit of sanity I have left). So this has become non-linear and you’ll get various bits as I finish the chapters/slices. This is aiming to be something that will always be ok at ending wherever it is currently is, but also something that can be continuously added to. (Also don’t hold your breath for updates. This is my baby and it will be built slowly and with much love AND as I FINISH THE ANIME.) I do have about 45k written now and the full thing will probably be 100-200k. But as I say - slow and steady.
> 
> This story goes through several arcs, some of which are angsty, some of which are hot and heavy, some of which are funny. Since each chapter is a different slice of life and totally different in what they handle and everything is coming out of order, I’m gonna give each chapter a Rating and Tags specific to that chapter so if you come across something squicky for you – you can skip it. You don’t need to read them all for the next to make sense. The main story Rating and Tags will be all the big pertinent stuff and worst tags, and change as I update chapters. OH - I’m also trying to be as cannon-compliant as I can (with it still being Kakairu and kinky) so if you notice anything off please let me know!!


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